Herbs in Pregnancy, Lactation and Postpartum Care
Corresponding author: [email protected]
Abstract
Herbal medicines have been used for centuries to support women during pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and the postnatal period, and they remain integral to Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and indigenous healing systems. This chapter reviews that practice against the available pharmacological and clinical evidence. It begins with the physiological changes of pregnancy, lactation and the puerperium, and the safety framework that must govern any herbal use in these states. Herbs commonly taken during pregnancy are then classified by function and examined for the management of nausea and vomiting, digestive complaints, and stress and sleep disturbance; ginger (Zingiber officinale) carries the strongest clinical evidence for pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting. Traditional uterine tonics used in labour preparation and childbirth, their proposed mechanisms and the clinical evidence for them are assessed, followed by galactagogues such as fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), and by herbs used in postpartum recovery, fatigue, mood support and nutritional and immune support, including turmeric (Curcuma longa) and moringa (Moringa oleifera). Ayurvedic, Traditional Chinese Medicine and folk approaches are compared, and the phytochemical constituents, mechanisms of action and human and preclinical studies underlying them are summarised. A dedicated section identifies herbs that must be avoided in pregnancy and lactation - abortifacient, uterotonic, embryotoxic and otherwise contraindicated species - and sets out a risk-assessment approach. The chapter closes with the challenges of standardisation and quality control, the gaps in clinical research, and the requirements for integrating herbal medicine safely into modern maternal healthcare.
Author Affiliations
- 1 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar, Madhya Pradesh 470003, India.
- 2 Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, United Institute of Pharmacy, Prayagraj 211010, India.